To the top of Two Top Mountain, Montana
Every season has its beauty but many would be inclined to skip exposure to the bitter cold of winter in favor of a seat by a roaring fire with a glass of hot cider. For those who are prepared to brave the elements, breathtaking scenes beckon, just waiting to be captured in the eye of the beholder and the lens. And what better way to access them than on the back of a snowmobile, camera close at hand!
West Yellowstone, Montana, likes to call itself the Snowmobile Capital of the World – a title that it works hard to live up to. Blessed with an average of 150 inches of snow every winter, the town’s streets are not plowed – instead they are groomed to allow for free passage by the sleek, horseless sleds. With nearly 200 miles of groomed trails in nearby Yellowstone Park and over 400 miles in the surrounding Gallatin and Targhee forests, your choice of terrain is almost limitless.
And so it is that we venture to West Yellowstone to meet up with a group of likeminded individuals, led by John and Barbara Gerlach, professional nature photographers and instructors extraordinaire for a week of shooting landscapes and animals, using snowmobiles to access places, off the beaten track.
Snowmobiling in the winter requires some preparation. You have to dress in layers – several layers!! Two pairs of thermal long johns, sweatpants, sweaters, fleece, face masks, hoods, two pairs of socks and gloves are augmented by a one piece snowmobile suit, boots, gloves and a helmet. Sun block is required because even on snowy days your skin can suffer from wind burn.
The snowmobile is equipped with heated seats and handle bars which are a source of comfort when the temperature plummets to several degrees below zero Fahrenheit and you find yourself in the middle of a blizzard.
A snowmobile ride is quite bumpy requiring your cameras and lenses to be padded and wrapped to protect them from the jolting before they are stored in backpacks and strapped onto the back of the snowmobile with bungee cords.
Decisions on where to go on a given day are taken at the last minute, based on the weather. A bright, sunny day is perfect for a trek to the top of Two Top Mountain from where, on a clear day, you can see three states – Montana, Idaho and Wyoming—two national parks (Yellowstone and the Tetons) and five mountain ranges.
Driving through the streets of West Yellowstone, you cross a large meadow before entering the forest. For about 15 miles you cruise through a world of snow-covered evergreen trees, next to a mountain stream. The deep snow along the banks is piled high, shaped into mounds and gullies by the relentless snow and wind.
Diana Russler and Bill Gent Bio:
—after more than 30 years of working for national and international organizations, we are now free to pursue our twin passions of travel and photography. Allegria means “high spirits” or “joy” in Italian. Our aim is to share our explorations and adventures with our readers, taking them on a journey to new places or old favorites, opening windows to distant places, unlocking doors to novel experiences and hearing the sound of laughter! Life is meant to be enjoyed every second of the day! We also are passionate about the preservation of the environment and will not miss an opportunity to highlight this in our writings.
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